


Maisel Prompts

by egrant94



Category: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:00:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24653494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/egrant94/pseuds/egrant94
Summary: Marvelous Mrs. Maisel prompts originally posted to my Tumblr writing blog, AllThyHeart!
Relationships: Abe Weissman/Rose Weissman, Lenny Bruce (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)/Miriam "Midge" Maisel
Comments: 29
Kudos: 79





	1. Jealous?

It was always absolute chaos when the kids came home from a few days with Joel. The Weissman clan were just finishing up dinner, and considering a dessert when the knock came from the front door. Midge watched as Zelda rushed down the hallway towards the sound, her heels click-clacking against the carpet and hardwood.

“Mr. Maisel,” the disdain in her voice was obvious, and despite how long it had been, Midge still secretly appreciated that Zelda would never forgive Joel for what he’d done.

“I’m here to drop the kids off.” The two children in question had already run past the two adults and into the apartment. Ethan ran towards his bedroom while Esther, still so young, ran for her mother with news of the playground they’d gone to earlier that day. “Can I come in?”

Midge inwardly groaned at the frustrated tone he was using with Zelda. She got up from her seat at the dining table with Esther in her arms, nodding her head towards the kitchen. It would be quieter in there and Midge had news that she needed to share. Joel saw the movement and she heard him following her until they were face-to-face with the kitchen table between them.

“How were the kids?” She thought that it was best to start off slowly. You didn’t really have to know Joel to know that he wasn’t going to take her news well.

“Good, good,” he rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at the ground. “Took them to the playground earlier. Esther wanted to see the ducks, but I had a meeting with some people for the club…” He knew that this would mean a trip to see ducks tomorrow for Midge, and she was happy to see that he seemed at least guilty for that, if not for disappointing their daughter.

“That’s fine, we um… we were planning to take her to the park tomorrow while Ethan is at his playdate with the Cohn’s son.”

“That’s… that’s good.”

Midge smiled through the awkward moment they were sharing. When there was another knock on the front door Esther wrestled her way down to the floor. Midge let her run out of the kitchen and supposedly to the front door to see who was knocking. 

“Joel, I wanted to tell you something. I’m not sure how you’re going to take it, but considering what happened with Benjamin…”

“So, you’re dating someone?” He sounded put-out by the information; like he didn’t have time to be informed about something he’d specifically asked to be told about.

“Well, yes.” She tried to formulate the words in her head so that Joel would get what she was trying to say. “I have been for a while actually. We are… we just got engaged over the weekend.” She held up her left hand to show off the beautiful antique ring as if seeing something shiny would make him feel better about his ex-wife getting married.

“You’re getting married?” His voice was raised now and there was no doubt that her parents and their new guest had heard everything. “Has he met the kids? We talked about this, Midge. If you’re dating someone I want you to ask me before-”

“He’s met them, but it wasn’t when we were dating. He has a daughter, Kitty, she’s the same age as Ethan so I had her over for a playdate a few times.”

“So, he’s met my kids?”

“Only as a friend's parent. It is no different than Archie.”

“It’s plenty different, Midge!”

Her nostrils flared and the muscles in her legs tightened. Eyes closed for a moment, she listened to the familiar voice talking animatedly with her father in the other room. Esther’s soft mumbling likely occupied them both.

“I’m engaged to be married. Yes, he has met both Ethan and Esther. No, it was not while we were dating. I didn’t even know that we would ever start dating until a while later.”

“You still didn’t ask for my permission. They are my kids, Midge. My kids!”

She wanted to yell back, but their argument was interrupted by Abe entering the kitchen. Midge breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that he’d heard their argument and was interrupting on purpose. He opened a couple drawers and a cupboard, before turning to his daughter and smiling. 

“I’ve asked your fiance,” he looked deliberately at Midge like he was trying to tell her telepathically that he had her back. “If he wants to stay and have a drink. He was just dropping off that book I loaned him last week. Are you joining us?”

Midge jerked her head away from the staring contest she’d been winning against Joel and looked at her father. “Of course, Papa. We’ll be right out.”

“Have you met him yet, Joel?” Abe’s expression fit better in a fighting ring than the kitchen. “Fascinating man! He’s been practicing his shuffleboard skills before the family trip up to the Catskills this summer.” Joel’s full attention was on his ex-father-in-law now. He had turned red from his neck to the tips of his ears.

"Papa," she used her sweetest voice to interrupt the tirade before there was no going back. Once Abe got going, it was hard to convince him to stop. "Why don't you go stop Mama from talking his ear off. You know how she is with him lately." They shared a knowing look.

Abe nodded his head and huffed his way back out to the sitting room. Midge watched him until he was out of sight, then turned back to Joel. He remained standing in the middle of the kitchen in stunned silence. Abe had never shown that much interest in Joel, no matter how much the younger man tried.

“I found it!” Abe’s raised voice echoed back down the hall. Neither of the two in the kitchen knew what he was speaking of, but it was clearly part of the guise Abe had planned when he interrupted.

“I’m going to join them.” Midge walked back around the table and grabbed an empty glass from the counter, knowing that they were likely running low after dinner and now cocktails. “You’re welcome to join us if you want.”

She could feel Joel’s eyes on her as she walked away. He followed her to the living room, but stopped close to the entrance of the apartment. Obviously he was debating on whether he wanted to meet this new man that, by extension, would be in his life for the foreseeable future. Midge tried to ignore all that, and instead found herself smiling so broadly that her cheeks hurt.

“Miriam,” Rose was standing by the drink cart, just finishing handing over a mixed drink to Abe. “Leonard was just telling me that you guys are going to Rhode Island next week!”

She smiled over at Midge’s fiance with a smile. He was standing in the living room with Esther clutching at his chest. His arms were wrapped up around the small girl like a lifeline.

“I was also telling the Little Duck here that we could absolutely take her to the park tomorrow,” Lenny leaned over Midge like her own shadow. He pressed his lips against hers in the lightest of pecks and smiled as he pulled back. “Hi, honey.”

“Lenny,” her voice was filled with warmth, and everyone in the room could see the soothing effect it had on the man. “This is Joel. Joel,” she turned towards her ex-husband who was still hovering near the door. This time, with a slack jaw. “This is my fiance, Lenny.”

She knew what meeting Lenny would do to Joel. They saw Lenny perform the night they got engaged. It was a memory that she’d safely packed away in a space filled with treasures until there was suddenly no use for them anymore. 

“Joel, I’ve heard a lot,” Lenny tightened his grip on Esther and stuck out his arm for a handshake. “Nice to finally meet.”

“You’re Lenny Bruce.”

“That’s what the lawyers say.” Lenny was already distracted once again by Esther’s fingers grabbing at his chin. He took her hand in his and teasingly nibbled at her fingers. Loud, girlish giggles filled the room and put smiles on almost everyone’s faces.

“Midge,” Joel talked in almost a whisper. Midge thankfully accepted a martini from her mother and gave him her attention. “You’re marrying Lenny Bruce.”

“I’m aware.” She pretended to be unfazed by the concept. “The ceremony is in a couple months. Right before summer vacation.” He looked at her blankly and she imagined smoke coming out of his ears as the connections in his brain shorted out. 

“I might be a little jealous.” His admission briefly caught Lenny’s attention, just enough for the man to glance over.

“Of Lenny,” Midge asked with false suspicion. “Or of me?”

“I’m not really sure.”


	2. Tossing Olives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This was a request from 'shuadi99', who asked me through the chat on my Tumblr (allthyheart)!
> 
> "Hey can we have a midge and lenny fanfic with a little unrealised love and jealousy?"

He really hadn’t been expecting to see her that night. Not that her appearance was ever quite expected. Most times they’d run into each other, it was because one of them had shown up in the other’s life unannounced.

Tonight was supposed to be just a normal show. A gig that went off without a hitch, or at least just the normal ones. Upstairs at the Downstairs was actually a good place to do a set on a regular night. It offered an environment for a slightly higher class of people than the dives he used to play at, so they usually weren’t too drunk and actually paid attention. He liked this place.

The set was good. He stuck to the story, he landed the punchlines… the audience enjoyed the show. A few people even stopped him on his way to the bar to compliment him, and the bartender gave him a drink on the house. Things were good. It was a good night.

Then someone threw something at him.

And the world just kept on throwing.

There she sat, perfect and coated head to toe in some sort of pink and purple hybrid. She had a radiant smile on her face that made her look even more beautiful, something that Lenny hadn’t even realised was possible.

He didn’t realise until he was pulling up a chair that she wasn’t alone. 

She was on a date with someone that surely would make her parents much happier than a lowly comedian. A man that had to make a call on the club phone to check in at work. The kind of man that she was considering Jello molds for again. He returned much too quickly for Lenny’s liking.

It was a lonely walk back to his apartment. He should have gotten a cab, but the fresh air was helping to clear his head. Images of drink glasses and empty chairs filled his head with frustration and confusion. He saw the way the Doctor looked at her, and it was enough to make his stomach clench.

He could see in her eyes though, that there was no going back for her. There was no way she could ever truly hide away her little pink notebook of jokes and never step foot on a stage again. That didn’t mean that she would ever choose a man like him either though. The brave Doctor was a far cry from a loud mouth comic that was fairly recently arrested. 

He missed his chance, not that there ever was one.... Not that they could ever make that life work, or that it should. They kept walking away from each other, neither willing to make a move towards the other. They flirted and joked, and then they went home separately night after night. This was a routine that he was used to - something he was familiar with happening.

The only difference is that now she wasn’t going home alone. She was going home with the Doctor, and Lenny was just going to keep walking.

Until he couldn’t anymore.


	3. Jewish Parents Walk Into the Apollo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was requested by someone on my Tumblr (allthyheart)! I can't remember who it was (seriously, message me on there if it was you so I can give you credit!), but they wanted a one-shot about Abe and Rose. This is super short, but I hope you like it still!

It was presented as a challenge of sorts, really. Abe was certain she would never go, and then she came home from the salon one day with the tickets in her hand and a look of familiar defiance on her face. Rose was taking on all sorts of challenges these days, so why would she back away from one that she was actually sort of looking forward to doing? (Not that she could ever tell Abe that) So, the Weissman’s were going to see their daughter perform her standup at the Apollo.

A taxi dropped them off, and they passively made their way through the crush of people. The theatre was packed. The show was sold out with all the people wanting to see Shy Baldwin perform in his hometown. Everyone filling the seats around the couple looked unfamiliar, but their enthusiasm was contagious. They were excited to see the homegrown boy put on a show for his friends, his family, the kid that bullied him in school when they were young… 

Rose and Abe kept their enthusiasm checked though. Neither wanted the other to know that they were cautiously looking forward to seeing their daughter perform at such a big venue. 

There were laughs, they couldn’t help it at times. There was a tension though too. An anticipation for their daughter walking on stage that others must have felt radiating off of them.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer said into the microphone. “Welcome to the stage, her first time at the Apollo, Mrs. Maisel.”

And then there she was; radiant and glowing under the harsh lights. She wore a pink, glittering dress that Rose had helped her pick out a couple weeks ago. Abe noticed that she looked nervous, but didn’t lean over to voice the concern to his wife. They both waited with everyone else to see what she would say first. How she would break the tension between herself and the unfamiliar crowd. 

“Whoa, you all look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Slowly, but much more quickly than even Midge seemed to think would happen, the crowd started cheering and laughing. A wave of clapping rippled through the audience, surrounding the Weissman parents.


End file.
